Sept. 18, 2005
VILLANOVA, Pa. - Much needed upgrades were brought about recently to the University's south campus recreation facility, the Stanford Fitness Center, in large part to the contributions of members of the Athletics Department. In an effort to enhance the student body's fitness center experience, eight new treadmills and six new elliptical machines were added prior to the start of the school year. In addition, new urethane covered weight plates were delivered in mid-September.
Spearheading the effort to bring in new equipment to the facility was Lisa Melillo, Coordinator of Intramurals and Recreation. Melillo jumpstarted the effort by writing a proposal to Rev. John Stack, O.S.A., Vice President for Student Life and the University's Budget Committee to request funding for the project. She worked in conjunction with the Student Government Association (SGA), led by senior Ed McCusker, since the campus' student leaders identified this matter as one of their most important initiatives heading into the school year.
The process to install the new treadmills, ellipticals, and weight plates did not come without obstacles. Although Athletics has provided its support for the upgrades, the department needed to align its goals with those of Student Life, SGA, and the University as a whole.
Melillo noted the biggest obstacle to overcome was to prove to the University community that there was a need to invest in improvements to the current facility. She stated, "We needed to assess the equipment that was [in Stanford Hall], show that it was outdated, and state the problems that existed with the equipment." Following the preliminary review, Melillo called on Vince Nicastro, Director of Athletics, to assist in allowing Melillo and SGA to receive the necessary financial backing. Melillo credited Nicastro with showing them "the steps necessary to be taken in order to get the proper funding for the equipment."
Nicastro, when asked about his part in the project, said, "My role was as facilitator. We've known for a couple of years now that the equipment that we initially installed there was seeing some wear and tear." However, in order to proceed with the upgrades, Nicastro introduced Melillo to Fr. Stack as well as Rev. William McGuire, O.S.A, Senior VP for Administration, to unite the Athletics Department and the University's administration.
Once all of the parties involved gave their approval for the project, Melillo researched a number of fitness equipment providers to find the right fit. Although there were budgetary concerns, Melillo focused on finding a provider with superior products. She said, "We looked for the best price, but we went with a company that worked very well with us since we were very concerned with the kind of product we were getting." Melillo received bids from several equipment outfits and evaluated all of the University's options. Leisure Fitness, a fitness superstore offering a variety of cardiovascular, strength training, yoga products, and fitness accessories, earned the bid.
All of the additions to the Stanford Fitness Center were necessary based on a number of factors. Melillo cited, "Some students voiced their concerns. It was not competitive with a number of other schools, what they offer in their facilities." She continued, "There were pieces of equipment that had a tendency to break down, so we sometimes didn't have enough equipment for people to use on a regular basis. The students are now able to enjoy the benefits of a fully functional facility to achieve their health and fitness goals."
Since the new equipment has been installed, Melillo is cognizant of its impact on the campus community. She alluded to a common situation before where students would rather wait in line for several pieces of cardiovascular equipment rather than use similar unoccupied equipment that was old and outdated. Nowadays, "Everyone is very pleased with it. There are people on it constantly", Melillo said.
Miranda Campbell, who supervises the fitness center as an Intramurals intern in the Athletics Department, sees the importance of the facility for new students. She mentioned, "We needed to get some new equipment in there to promote our fitness center more so for the students, especially to the freshmen, because coming in, it's more of a selling point for them." In addition, Campbell pointed out that the facility is more attractive in part because many students are already familiar with the treadmills and elliptical machines.
After overseeing the plan come to fruition, Nicastro values the upgrades to the University. He said, "We're seeing a greater demand and a higher expectation for our campus fitness centers. With these improvements, we feel we have made the necessary strides to address some of the fitness needs of the students and the campus community. We hope that in the future our planned Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation Center will improve our offerings even further."
